End of a Partnership Leads to a New Project for Doug Payne

Nancy Jaffer/For The Star-LedgerDoug Payne of Gladstone and Running Order, who competed at the Rolex Kentucky 4-star last spring, have gone their separate ways but the rider is putting together a syndication package designed to bring him new eventing talent

It's a story familiar to riders in every discipline who struggle to make it to the top with lots of talent but little money, only to find their horses sold out from under them.

Now it's happened to one of the more promising U.S. eventing match-ups. Doug Payne and Running Order, 18th in the Rolex Kentucky 4-star last spring, have gone their separate ways. Payne, a Gladstone resident, was putting together a syndicate to buy the Irishbred gelding when owner Patti Scialfa Springsteen, realizing the horse's potential, decided to look for other sale opportunities. The horse was the only eventer owned by Springsteen, whose daughter, Jessica, is involved with grand prix show jumpers. Her decision sent Payne in a different direction without the mount that he had trained.

His time with Running Order, third in the 2011 U.S. Eventing Association Horse of the Year standings, was valuable in giving him experience, though. He made a video, "From Scratch to 4-star Eventer in 18 Minutes" about how he brought the former racehorse up through the ranks. The time reference is to the length of the video; it took him four years to get the horse to Rolex.

Now he has switched gears to work on the concept of syndicating two horses. One would be an intermediate horse, the other a 4- or 5-year-old. While many riders, including top eventer Boyd Martin, are following the syndication path these days in order to keep the horses they have trained in their barns, Payne has tried to be inventive and have a different twist.

"Our deal growing up with our parents was when we turned 18, anything beyond that (in terms of competing) was our dime," said Payne, referring to his sister, Holly, also an eventer.

"If you want to do it, you figure out a way to make it work."

Concerned about being without a high-level horse, he discussed his plans with David O'Connor, who will be the U.S. eventing coach next year. O'Connor told him, "I don't need to see you jumping big fences, I just need to see the best quality horses you can find. You'll get there again; you just need to start out with the best raw product."

While Payne has been involved in other syndication efforts, he believes "two horses under one roof" would "increase the odds of one of these horses making it. I would say it's more exciting if you have two horses you can follow, if one gets hurt or one is on vacation. If one doesn't work, it can be sold and you can roll that money in and get another one on board."

He has come up with the idea of A and B classes of shareholders; the first class would own a percentage of the horse, but the second class would be a less expensive buy-in. "You could almost own part of the horse for the year," he said.

Payne, who has an engineering degree, notes that with the sky-high price of horses these days, riders have to be entrepreneurial. He has a vision of who he is seeking for his innovative syndicate, and why they would buy into it.

"I want someone who is invested in the idea and the process, who is along for the journey, not just someone who is buying in to go to the Olympics or the World Equestrian Games. They can share the experience and get excited about it. There's a chance you can make money but it's not really an investment," said Payne.

"You're almost buying into a lifestyle and something you can do for a period of time and travel to great destinations. It gives them an excuse to have fun in a different place with friends. You want them involved."

ON THE RAIL -- The Camelot Auction, the focal point of a movement to save horses from slaughter, may not shut down Sept. 26 as planned. The facility in Cranbury wasn't sold at auction Sept. 8 as owners Monica and Farnk Carper had hoped. While Monica Carper said conversations related to the sale are ongoing, she is no longer sure when the final auction will be held.

The Carpers are moving to Kentucky and ending their New Jersey business in part because of what Monica Carper called "harassment" by the state. The couple and the state Department of Agriculture were at odds for more than a year, with the state declining to renew Camelot's license so the Carpers could sell equines. The state maintained in a statement last year that it "repeatedly requested (Camelot's owners) to provide full and accurate copies of sales records and have submitted incomplete and/or inaccurate information. Livestock dealers must present accurate records in order to be licensed by the department."

Monica Carper contended she had done nothing wrong, saying she had made her case known "to everybody from the Governor on down" but got no satisfaction in efforts to get someone to sit down with her "and straighten it out."

She said anyone interested in buying the Camelot property and continuing an auction would have concerns about whether they would have problems with the state, and maintained that her business had lost value as a result. The matter has been the subject of court proceedings, with another session slated for October.

Several thousand horses were saved from death over the last few years as the auction house cooperated with rescue groups and other concerned people working through the Camelot Horse Weekly, a facebook page showcasing equines that did not sell at the auction and otherwise might have gone to slaughter.

The Carpers are planning to move to Kentucky at some point. Monica Carper said they would be interested in working with the Horse Weekly or others parties interested in a similar operation there...

Dressage at Devon, featuring the world's largest open breed show, a memorable freestyle under the lights, entertaining performances by Australian Guy McLean and his amazing team of horses and other attractions -- including great shopping -- will take place Sept. 25-30 at the Devon, Pa., showgrounds on Route 30.

McLean works with his team of horses at liberty, showing a level of communication and partnership that is truly awesome and fun to watch again and again. His performances will take place at various times Sept. 28-30. The freestyle is Sept. 29. Tickets are available at the grounds and reserved seating may be ordered at dressageatdevon.org. Tickets are $10 for general admission, with children under 12 free and reserved seating $25 Sept. 28, $35 Sept. 29 and $10 Sept. 30...

The Plantation Field International Horse Trials in the Unionville, Pa., area Friday through next Sunday showcases such top riders as Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton in top-class competition. Other attractions of the weekend include shopping and tailgating. To find the horse trials with a GPS, use this address: 387 Green Valley Road, Coatesville, Pa. 19320.